Airtel Malawi says it will invest MK15.2 billion to modernize quality and coverage of its voice and Internet services in Malawi.

This intensive upgrade exercise is set to roll out next month in March until July this year.

According to a Press Statement made available to Mana, Wednesday, all its sites located nationwide will be modernized with new equipment that will boost radio signals to enhance voice and internet quality and reliability.

“From next month we shall start installing new equipment for our network coverage sites and will additionally deploy new 3G U-900 bands to boost data coverage and quality,” reads part of the statement, signed by the Networks Director Hussein Versi.

According to Versi, the upgrade will enable Airtel subscribers to experience improved speed, quality connectivity and stable voice and Internet services in the short to medium term.

In the long term the network modernization exercise prepares Airtel to handle the future and growing demands of its customers.

“The primary aim for this modernization exercise is to proactively prepare our network for growing consumer demands on our high quality data network and to also prepare for future emerging technologies,” said Versi.

Meanwhile, during the modernization period, customers will be informed on the transition schedules which will happen particularly at night to mitigate service interruptions.

The major upgrade exercise reaffirms Airtel Malawi’s commitment to the Malawi market and to maintain market leadership in the provision of competitive, modern, reliable, and accessible mobile phone technologies across the country through its vast countrywide network infrastructure.